Gathering Wild Rice

[Rick]

I was wondering if any of you gather wild rice as part of your normal food diet. If so, how do you go about it? By boat? Finally, what do you look for that might tip you off that Ergot has infected the plant?

Are there any other grasses like Reed or Large Cain that you collect?

[RBB]

I was wondering if any of you gather wild rice as part of your normal food diet. If so, how do you go about it? By boat? Finally, what do you look for that might tip you off that Ergot has infected the plant?

Are there any other grasses like Reed or Large Cain that you collect?

We harvest each autumn. I currently have 400 pounds on hand. Requires a canoe under 18 feet - preferably without seats. Takes two. one to "knock" the rice, one to stand in the rear and pole the canoe. Pole needs to have a duck-bill on the end to push against the muddy bottom. "Knockers" are two sticks, made of cedar, about three feet long. With one, you gather the rice over the canoe. With the other you stroke, or knock the rice - causing the ripe rice to drop in the canoe.

I'm not that good at it. I can get about 75 pounds on a good day. I have relatives that can do 300 pounds, but I think they start early (illegal).

Once you have the rice, you set it out on tarps to dry. When it is dry, you take it to a processor - or process it yourself (the old way). To do it the old way, you put it in a large (25 gallon) kettle over a fire, with the kettle set at an angle - part of the kettle over the fire - part not. You use a paddle to swirl the rice up over the fire - and back - so the "beards" get singed - yet the rice doesn't burn.

When you have completed this, you dig a hole and line it with cedar splits (like wood shingles) and place a tarp in the depression. Then, using new moggasins, you dance the rice (best to have a drum). This removes the chaff from the kernel.

Then, you take the rice and chaff and place it in a winnowing tray (made of birchbark), and throw the rice in the air, catching it again in the tray until all the chaff has blown away (best to do this in a light wind).

Rice prepared in this way is far superior to what you buy in the store.

As to ergot - never run into it.

We have collected cat-tail fronds to make mats, but that is another long drawn out process.

[Rick]

Wow! Great info.! Thanks. When you say it's illegal do you have set hours for harvest? I've never heard of that.

[RBB]

Wow! Great info.! Thanks. When you say it's illegal do you have set hours for harvest? I've never heard of that.

It is regulated - like everything else in the "Land of 10,000 Taxes (Minnesota)." It requires a permit - $11.00 per year.

[Rick]

Now that's bizarre. Indiana requires a permit to be signed by the land owner if you are on private land. The owner has to have a copy and you have to carry it on you to harvest any wild plants. That's just to prove you have their permission. But I've never heard of paid permit before.

[crashdive123]

Thanks RBB - great info!